VfL Wolfsburg have been relegated from the Bundesliga after a 1-2 defeat to Paderborn after extra time in the second leg of their two-legged relegation play-off on Monday, with the visiting side reduced to 10 men early in the match.
Wolfsburg have been an ever-present in the German top flight since their promotion in 1997, but Laurin Curda’s goal in extra time after ten minutes earned Paderborn their third promotion to the Bundesliga.
After the first leg ended scoreless, Wolfsburg looked set for survival when Dzenan Pejcinovic went ahead in the third minute, but Paderborn equalized through Filip Bilbija seven minutes before half-time.
Things became more difficult for Wolfsburg when Joakim Maehle was sent off eleven minutes after the opening goal and received two yellow cards within three minutes.
After the equalizer, Paderborn missed a series of chances, with Wolfsburg goalkeeper Kamil Grabara making several saves. The visiting side held on to force extra time, where Curda’s volley decided the tie.
Wolfsburg, league champions in 2009 and German Cup winners in 2015, survived two consecutive relegation play-offs in 2017 and 2018, while Paderborn’s two previous appearances in the top flight both ended in immediate relegation.
Published on May 26, 2026
